Originally Posted by
gutsofgold
I bought my fixed gear used and I've loved it since day one. However, it's a beautiful bike and I hate locking it up in certain areas that I have to ride to. The frame's been painted a glossy bright red by an autobody shop and it makes the bike look much more expensive than it really was.
Any suggestions or tips on making it less attractive? How much would it cost me to have it repainted by a shop, or worth doing with regular spray paint?
take it back to the same place and have them sandblast the paint off. if the bike is steel, it'll have this really awesome gnarly look-- clean metal through most of the tubing with a cool dark color around the welds. Have them clearcoat after the sandblast (it'll add some shine, but this isn't optional-- if you don't coat it, it'll rust). the frame will look GAAAAAAANGS
TER!! (and crooks will be less likely to notice it)
if it's aluminum, it'll look shiny. no need for clear coat.